Cuomo doubles National Guard troops for Irene

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is more than doubling the number of National Guard troops deployed for Hurricane Irene to 1,900 as the storm closes in on the state.

Cuomo announced Saturday afternoon that the additional 1,000 guard members will be deployed to Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley. He says they will assist with traffic control, evacuations and sandbagging at the World Trade Center site and will perform other duties.

National Guard soldiers and airmen are being sent Saturday from across New York to the downstate areas expected to bear the brunt of the hurricane.

Many of the troops are headed to the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center on Long Island and Camp Smith and Stewart Air National Guard Base north of New York City.